Printing machine



April 19 l932 I W. K. Ecm-IAF@ l,854,`694' PRINTING MACHINE Filed oct. "9, 1929 lNvEzN-rpn vPatented Apr. 19, y1932l tmrranI STATES Fairy-:1ar- OFFICE 'WILLIAM I. ECKHARD, OI' DUNELLEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB T0 E. HOE U0., INU., l' NEW YORK, N. Y., A yCORPORATION 0F 'NEW vYORK PBINTIN G MACHINE Application led October 9, 1929. Serial No. 398,510.

i the form to be printed is engraved or otherwise depressed below the surface' thereof.

lDuring the operation of the machine, the

plate is covered with ink which is pressed into the engraved part of the plate, andthe ink on the surface is then wiped olf leaving the ink that is to be transferred to the sheet, in the engraved parts.. l

The customary method of wiping the surf face ofthe plate by means of a web of fabric involves the'waste ofconsiderable ink. This waste is avoided by the ink salvaging mechanismdisclosed herein, whereby the excess ink is removed from the surface of the plate by a cleaning roller that transfers it to a salvaging roller from which it is removed by a salvagmg blade and returned to the ink'foun'- tain. s

The object of the invention is to provide a -practical means for inking an intaglio printing plate, removing excess ink from the surface of the plate, and returning it to the ink fountain.

It is also an object of the'invention to provide a plate inking and ink salvaging mechanism of generally improved construction, whereby the mechanism will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and eilicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that Vvarious changes in the precise embodiment of theinvention herein taglio plates, showing certain of the coacting rollers and other mechanism in outline.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view' partly in, section, similar to a portion of Figure 1, but

disclosed may ba made Within the scope of thereof showing certain of the parts ina different re]- lation; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 2 as viewed in the direction of arrow 3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, a portion of the frame Aof the machine is shown and indicated at 11. It will be understood that suitable bearings for the various rollers are provided in the frame. A portion of the platen is shown at 12, and a printing plate 13 is fastened thereto by suitable means.

The ink fountain,indicated generally at 14, is provided with a fountain roller 15, that.

is driven by gears 16 and 17 from a convement rotating shaft of the machine.

Anink roller 17 having a covering that may be formed of a suitable resilient mould-f ed com losition material, engages the fountain ro ler 15 andthe 'plate 13. It will be understood that the platen is arranged to slide horizontally from left to right on suitable rails or Ways not shown, that support the patent at the height required to bring the plate into engagement with the inln'ng roller. Rolling in rollers 18 and 19 engage the the plate after it receives ink from the` ink roller 17 and serve to distribute the ink and press it, into the design that is engraved or etched in the plate.

l Further motion of the platen brings the plate into engagement with the cleaning roller 21 which is driven by the gears 22 and23 J from a suitable rotating member ofthe ma-4 j chine.

The cleaning roller 21 is preferably made with a moulded composition covering and when it engages the plate it removes the greater part of the -ink from the surface As the roller 21 revolves the portion that has received ink from the plate comes in contact with the salvaging roller 24 and the ink is deposited thereon. i

The ink fountain 14 is rovided with the usual fountain blade 25 an adjusting screws, one of which is shown at 26. By these means 'the feed of ink to the plate is regulated.

A chute or fountain extension 27 is provided with clamps, one ofwhich` is shown. at 28,

and thereby adj ustably fastened to the brackets29, secured to the ink fountain. In practice, the extension is preferably adjusted quiteclose to thesalvaging roller, but at a distance sufficient to allow the ink on the roller to pass under it.

A means vfor removing the ink from the salvaging roller is provided by the blade 31, which is shown in Figure 1 in engagement with the salvaging roller 24. As the salvaging roller is rotated, due to its frictional contact with the cleaning roller 21, the ink is scraped from its surface by the blade and runs down the inclined surface of the fountain extension or chute 27, and is thus returned to the fountain.

The scraper blade 31 is secured to arms 32 that are suitably fastened to the .shaft 33. Brackets 34 secured to the ink fountain 14 provide bearings for the shaft 33, and an arm 35 that is secured to the shaft is pvotally connected to a rod 36 which slides in a poppet 37 secured to the ink fountain. It will be seen that the spring 38 acting on the collar 39 secured to the rod 36 will press the blade 31 against the salvaging roller.

An arm 41 is also secured to the shaft 33 and is pvotally connected to a rod 42. The lower end of this rod carries a forked member 43 which engages a shaft 44 carrying a cam 45 that is engaged by the roller .46. The shaft 44 is driven in properly timed relation with the movement of the platen and acts to move the blade 28 away from the salvaging roller 24 after it has removed the ink therefrom. The cam 43 is preferably arranged to allow the blade to engage the salvaging roller shortly after the plate engages the clean -ing roller, and after the rollers have made a few revolutions the blade is held out of en agement until the next inking operation.

vhile it is not necessary to lift the blade from the salvaging roller it has been found that by doing so, considerable wear of the parts 1s avoi ed.

The'ink salvaging mechanism herein disclosed effects a saving in the quantity of ink used and byremoving the greaterpart of the inii that is on the surface of the plate, leaves less ink to be removed'by the wiping mechanism, which in consequence can be used for a lon r period before it must be renewed.

What claim is:

1. In a machine for printing from an intaglio plate, a roller for removmg excess ink from thelp'late and depositing it on a salvaglng roller, an ink fountain, a member closely adjacent the periphery of the salvaging roll- Ver and extending over the fountain, and

means acting intermittently to remove ink from the salvaging roller and deposit it on said member.

2. 'In a machine for printing from an intaglio late, meansrfor removing excess ink from t e plate and depositing iton a salvaging roller, an ink fountain, a member adjacent to the periphery of the salvaging roller adjacent member.

4. In a machine for printing from an intaglio plate, an ink fountain, means for conveying ink from the fountain and depositing it 011 the plate, a cleaning roller for removing excess ink from the plate, a salvaging roller on which the ink is deposited by the cleaning roller, a swinging blade adapted to bear against the salvaging roller to remove the ink therefrom, means to move the blade into and out of engagement with the salvaging roller, and a chute adjacent to the line of engagement of the blade with the salvaging roller; said chute being adapted to receive ink flowing from the blade and conduct it to the fountain.

5. In a machine for printing from an intaglio plate, an ink fountain, means for coinveying ink from the fountain and depositing it on the plate, a cleaning roller for removing excess ink from the plate, a rotating salvaging roller on which the ink is deposited by the cleaning roller, -a blade having its lower edge in engagement with the periphery of the salvaging roller on its u pwardly moving side, and a chute having lts upper side adjacent to the salvaging roller and to the lower edge of the blade and adapted to receive the ink directly from the edge of the blade and return it to the fountain.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

WILLIAM K. ECKHARD. 

